Yu Rongda, a fourth-grade student at Suwon Primary School, has been out doing business for half a year without a letter from his parents. Rongda is ba[Expand All]
Yu Rongda, a fourth-grade student at Suwon Primary School, has been out doing business for half a year without a letter from his parents. Rongda is barely making ends meet with the money his grandmother earns from collecting scraps every day. Rongda, whose grandmother was ill and unable to pay for three months 'tuition, didn't go to school. His friend's sister, GUI LAN, delivered the rice to Rong Da's home. The class teacher, Mr. Tian Dai, also came to visit and handed over the tuition fee to his grandmother. But the landlord used that money to cover the rent, so Rongda couldn't go to school again. Grandmother asked Rongda if he could go to his aunt's home in Pyeongtaek to collect the tuition fees. Rongda set off very early in the morning by ox cart, fetched water from an izakaya, and walked six miles (about 20 kilometers) safely to his aunt's home in Pingze. The next day, Rongda got his tuition and rice and took a bus back. After greeting his grandmother, he ran to the school to pay the tuition. Teacher Tashiro showed Rongda the friendship box where his classmates had saved money for him and said that he should not worry about the tuition fees in the future and should study hard. When Rongda came back from school, he received a letter from his father. The letter said that his mother was ill and thus he couldn't contact Rongda. At the same time, a package containing money, clothes and shoes was also sent. During the agricultural band's celebration of the Ullambana Festival, Rongda's parents returned to their hometown.[Collapse]
